Movement to dial attachment for clocks



Oct. 9, 1951 w FOWLER 2,570,539

MOVEMENT TO DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS Filed Aug. 9, 1947 INVENTOR FG 2 ARNO w. FOWLER BYW ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 MOVEMENT TO DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS Arno W. Fowler, Highland, Ill., assignor to C. J. Hug 00., Inc., Highland, 111., a corporation of Indiana Application August 9, 1947, Serial No. 767,722

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improved means for attaching the movement of a clock to its dial.

In the art of clock making, particularly as it pertains to the manufacture of large faced electric clocks, it is common practice to support the movement in the clock case by attaching the same to the clocks dial. In such instances, a clock case and dial such as that described in a co-pending application by Arno W. Fowler for Clock Dial Attachment, Serial No. 768,741, filed August 15, 1947, now abandoned, is used. Heretofore, it has been the practice to secure the movement to the dial with screws which are passed through holes therein into threaded holes in the top pillar plate of the clocks movement. As will be seen by reference to the aforemen tioned co-pending application, the dial of the clock is secured in the case and the movement is supported on the dial. Accordingly, a different problem is presented from that found in the art of watchmaking wherein the watch dial is secured to the watch movement by drawing the former downwardly against the latter until the dial is supported at its peripheral edge on the watch case. In other words, it is here required that the clock movement be attached to the dial independently of the case, the movement itself being much smaller in dimensions than either the dial orthe case.

This result is accomplished by the instant invention, which may be briefly described as comprising a threaded bushing and a nut therefor which clamps the movement onto the dial. The bushing, so employed, has a bottom flange which is drawn tightly against the underside of the movements top pillar plate. A central bore in the bushing is also provided through which the coaxial shafts for the clocks hour, minute and second hands extend. A threaded portion of the bushing is of such length that it extends above the upper surface of the movements top pillar plate a sumcient distance to pass through a hole drilled in the clock dial and to receive a large diameter disc nut which is threaded thereon to clamp the movement to the dial. A pin, extending upfrom the top pillar plate, passes into a hole in the dial when the movement is clamped thereon, which properly positions the latter with respect to all other parts of the clock.

Thus, the instant invention accomplishes its desired objectives which may be stated generally as the provision of an improved means for attaching the movement of a clock to a clock dial, which is positive in action, is inexpensive to make and apply, and one which greatly reduces the amount of labor involved in assembling the parts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention will be afforded from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a clock dial and movement with parts thereof broken away showing a means embodying the instant invention for attaching the latter to the former, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the assembly shown in Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a clock movement l (only parts of which are shown) is attached to a clock dial [2. The attaching means comprises a threaded bushing I3 and a washer nut i l, the parts being arranged as follows.

The essential parts of the clock movement ll, insofar as being those necessary to describe the invention, are a top pillar plate l5 which is supported by a plurality of pillars l6, and the second, minute and hour hand shafts l1, l8 and I9, respectively. The bushing I3 has a flange 2| and a threaded section 22, the latter being passed through a hole in the plate IS. A hole 23 in the dial I2 is dimensioned to pass over the threads of the bushing so that a tightening of the nut 14 will draw the movement H until its pillar plate i5 is tight against the back of the dial I2. To insure the proper positionment of the movement with respect to the dial and to prevent the same from turning about its hand shafts, a pin 24, extending upwardly from the plate I5, is provided which passes into a hole 25 in the dial.

It is to be observed that the bushing l3 serves, in addition to its primary function of clamping the movement to the dial, as a sleeve bearing for the movements hand shafts. Thus, the usual sleeve bearing is not required and an additional saving in the manufacturing cost of the completed clock is realized.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the whole and improvements may be added while retaining some or all of the advantages of the invention.

What i claimed is:

An attachment for connecting a clock movement having a pillar plate to a clock dial comprising a hollow bushing passing through holes in said pillar plate and dial and having an ex- UNITED STATES PATENTS ternal flange, and a nut threaded onto said bush- Number Name Date ing for clamping said dial and pillar plate be- 196 726 van Doren Oct 30 1877 tween said nut and said external flange, said hol- 1 8413750 Matthiessen Jan. 1932 low bushing acting as a sleeve bearing for shafts 5 extending from said movement. FOREIGN PATENTS NO FO Number Country Date 12,924 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1885 REFERENCES CITED of 1885 The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent: 

